Boston Article 37 of the Zoning Code requires LEED-certifiable design for projects over 50,000 square feet, while BERDO 2.0 (Boston Code Ch. VII) imposes building emissions caps phased to net zero by 2050.
Boston has two main green-building regimes. Article 37 of the Boston Zoning Code requires large project review applicants — generally 50,000 square feet or more — to demonstrate LEED-certifiable design and submit a checklist to the Boston Planning Department. Boston also adopted the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance 2.0 (BERDO 2.0) in 2021, applying to non-residential buildings 20,000 square feet or larger and residential buildings with 15 or more units. Owners must report energy use annually and meet emissions caps phased every five years to reach net zero by 2050. Massachusetts also lets municipalities adopt the Specialized Stretch Energy Code (225 CMR 22-23), which Boston embraced.
BERDO non-compliance carries an alternative compliance payment based on excess emissions, while Article 37 non-compliance can block issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy by BPDA and ISD.
Boston, MA
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Boston, MA
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See how Boston's green building code rules stack up against other locations.
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